Budget bill advances along party lines

Mar. 25, 2013

Written by

Free Press Staff Writer

The four Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee failed to recommend the budget bill the panel has worked on for months.

The tally on the bill was 7-4, with all the Democrats supporting the bill.

Rep. Albert “Chuck” Pearce, R-Richford, said his vote reflected his unease with the tax bill that helps pay for the budget, not the spending decisions the Appropriations Committee made.

Interestingly, the Shumlin administration has the same take on the budget bill. Finance Commissioner Jim Reardon said the committee “did good work” on the spending plan, incorporating much that the governor had recommended. He cited higher education, low income heating assistance and working landscape investments as some of the governor’s spending priorities that the House bill agreed to do.

“The area of concern, obviously, is how they finance this budget,” Reardon said.

There were no hard feelings Monday after the committee voted. Chairwoman Martha Heath, D-Westford, thanked everyone. “Whether you voted for or against the budget, you all contributed 100 percent.”